Japanese-Inspired Wrap Shoes Have No Laces And Wrap Around For A Perfect Fit

Store bought shoes are convenient and readily available, but due being mass manufactured, it’s rare that they’ll ever fit your feet perfectly. You could always go the custom made (i.e. bespoke) route but you’ve gotta be earning some serious money to afford those. Vibram, the Italian shoe company best known for their shoes with individual toes, has come up with a Japanese-inspired solution to this issue.

Furoshiki (風呂敷) are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths used to transport clothes and other goods, with the earliest examples dating back to the Edo period (1603–1868). Furoshiki shoes were inspired by the same concept. Japanese designer Masaya Hashimoto designed them to have no laces – the shoe wraps around the foot instead and is fastened with velcro.

Vibram calls the shoes the world’s first “wrapping sole.” You can get a pair at Vibram’s Japanese stores for about $140 (US).